Pneumatic tobacco feed system

ABSTRACT

A pneumatic tobacco feed system comprising a plurality of automatically operated two-way pneumatic switch valves serially connected with each other on the main feed duct, and further individually connected to the discharge units of each utilizing machine, which in turn are manifolded to a suction source. The said valves are automatically pneumatically switched from a first position in which they opens the communication between their inputs and the discharge units, closing the communication to the main feed duct, to a second position in which they close the communication to the discharge unit opening the communication with the main feed duct.

0 United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,860,031 Grilli Jan. 14, 1975 [54] PNEUMATIC TOBACCO FEED SYSTEM 3,386,773 6/1968 Ballard 302/28 [75] Inventor: Walter Grilli, Bologna, Italy FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [73] Assignee: AMF Incorporated, White Plains, 640,057 12/1936 Germany 302/28 888,787 2/1962 Great Britain 302/28 [22] Filed: July 1969 Primary Examiner-Ev0n C. Blunk 21 App] 371,743 Assistant ExaminerW. Scott Carson Art ,A r, F -6 WP ;Ch'l.J. Related US. Application Data 5i, gen Gorge [63] Continuation of Ser. No. 668,485, Sept. 18, 1967,

abandoned. ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl. 137/610, 302/28 A pneumatic tobacco feed system comprising a p [51] Int. Cl B65g 53/56 Of automatiCany Operated y Pnfillmatic [53] Fi ld f S h 137/119 610; 243/29; switch valves serially connected with each other on 302/23 the main feed duct, and further individually connected to the discharge units of each utilizing machine, which [56] References Cit d in turn are manifolded to a suction source. The said UNITED STATES PATENTS valves are automatically pneumatically switched from a first position in which they opens the communicag i g 32 tion between their inputs and the discharge units, clos- 1957309 5/l934 302/37' X ing the communication to the main feed duct, to a sec- 210351747 3/1936 Harris "I. l 37/625.44 0nd Position in which y close the Communication 2,195,407 4/1940 Craggs 302/28 t0 the discharge unit Opening the Communication w 3,099,492 7/1963 Mortimer 302/28 the main feed duct. 3,326,609 6/1967 Auten et al. 302/28 3,334,947 8/1967 Orsi 302/23 3 Clam, 2 Drawmg Flgures PATENTEUJAN 1 4197s SHEET 1 OF 2 W m II I um W\m m NQ E x w -Q um II N n m INVENTOR. WAI TFFB GRlLLl TTO PNEUMATIC TOBACCO FEED SYSTEM This application is a continuation of U.S. application, Ser. No. 668,485, filed Sept. 18, 1967, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a pneumatic tobacco feed system, and more particularly to a pneumatic feed system for the automatic distribution of tobacco from a feedin station to a plurality of tobacco-utilizing machines, such as cigarette making machines.

In the known feeding systems of the kind referred to, a main feed duct is manifolded into a plurality of branch ducts each leading the so-called discharger or discharge unit of one of a plurality of utilizing machines.

The main drawback of the known pneumatic feeding systems is the formation of blockages of tobacco at the branches whenever the applied suction is stopped and reverse air flows are formed, returning the tobacco toward the feed-in station.

It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a pneumatic tobacco feed system of the kind referred to, in which the operation of one discharge unit has no pneumatic effect whatsoever on any of the other discharge units or on the air flow in any of the conduits associated with these units.

According to the invention, this is accomplished by providing a plurality of automatically operated twoway pneumatic switch valves, serially connected with each other through one of their branch outputs on the main feed duct, and further individually connected through their second branch outputs to the discharge unit of each utilizing machine, said discharge unit being in turn manifolded to a suitable suction source.

By this arrangement, whenever a discharge unit is operated in accordance with individual utilizing machine demand, by opening it to the suction source of a preset period, the corresponding switch valve is automatically switched, by the induced air flow into the second branch conduit, to a position in which it closes the main conduit down-flow from its first branch output, while opening the second branch output. At the same time, all switch valves which are arranged on the main conduit upstream with respect to the said switch valve, are automatically caused to close their second branch conduits, while leaving the communication between their input and the main conduit unobstructed. In this manner, a continuous and undisturbed flow of air and tobacco from the feed-in station to the several individual utilizing points of the system is obtained without the need for special devices.

It is accordingly a further object of the present invention to provide an automatically operated pneumatic switch valve, which is particularly suited for the use on the pneumatic feed system according to the invention.

Further objects and characteristic features of the invention will become apparent from the following specification, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagramm of a pneumatic tobacco feed system according to the invention, and

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section through one embodiment of a switch valve employed in systems like that shown in FIG. 1.

With particular reference to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the tobacco feed system in a plant including a plurality of tobacco utilizing machines comprises a feed-in station 10 and a suction and filtering unit 11. From feed-in station 10, two parallel main feed conduits 12 are branched off. A number of tobacco utilizing machines, such as the cigarette making machines CI, C2, C3....Cn are individually associated to said main feed conduits 12 through the pneumatic two-way switch valves B1,B2, 83.... which are serially connected through their inputs 2 and their branch outputs 3 to the main feed ducts 12. The conventional discharge units S of the machines Cl, C2...C3, are individually connected through a branch duct T1,T2, ....T3 to the second branch output 4 of the corresponding switch valve B1, B2, B3...., whilst the discharge unit S of the last ma chine Cn of each set of cigarette-making machines is directly connected to the main feed duct 12 through the pipe section Tn.

The discharge units S are further connected through conduits R1,R2,R3.... Rn to a manifold 14 connected to the suction unit 11.

The operation of the just-described plant is the following. The discharge units 5 of the cigarettemaking machines C1, C2, C3 Cn are alternatively and cyclically connected to the suction source II by means of a suitable programmer (not shown) in a conventional manner. Assuming that the discharge unit S of the machine C2 to be actually operated, switch valve B2 is put under suction through branch tube T2 and branching 4. This causes switching of valve B2 to a position in which it closes the branch output 3 and opens the branch output 4. The closure of branch output 3 will Ostoip feeding tobacco through main feed duct 12 to the machines C3...Cn which are connected to the main feed duct 12 down-flow of switch valve B2.

On the other hand, switch valve Bl, that is switch valve which comes to be upstream of valve B2 will be automatically switched to a position in which branch conduit 4 is closed, while leaving the communication between input 2 and branch output 3 unobstructed. This continuous flow of tobacco is fed to discharge unit S of machine C2. It is apparent that the same applies to the remaining machines Cl,....C3 and that, whenever the discharge unit S of the machine (In is operated, all switch valves BI....B3 will be switched to a position in which all branch ducts 4 are obstructed and the tobacco will flow from feed-in station 10 through main feed duct 12 and the inputs 2 and unobstructed outputs 3 of the serially connected valves B1,...B3 to conduit Tn and to discharge unit S of the machine Cn.

It is thus evident that by the just described feed plant only one utilizing machine Cl....Cn at the time may be fed with tobacco from feed-in station, even if two discharge units S of each set of utilizing machine are, for some reason, operated concurrently.

It is also evident that the operation of one discharge unit S has not pneumatic effect whatsoever on any of the other discharge units or on the air flow in any of the conduits associated with these units, and this without the need of special additional devices, as non-return valves or the like.

The switch valves BI....B3 may be of any suitable construction, either conventional or particular such as that shown in FIG. 2.

The said switch valve comprises a box-like body or box 1, to one end of which an inlet tube 2 is connected, while at its opposite end two outlet tubes 3 and 4 are branched off. Within box 1, a switch valve 5 is swingably mounted about vertical pivot 6, secured centrally of the box 1. The valve comprises two integral flaps 105, 205 forming a certain angle between them.

Inside box 1, between the inlets of the branching tubes 3 and 4, a partition wall 7 is mounted, radially extending from the wall intermediate said branchings up to the swinging pivot 6 of the valve 5. On both sides of this partition wall 7, elastic abutment members 107, 207 are provided.

The box 1 is formed on two opposite sides with arcshaped wall segments X-Z, respectively Y-W, concentric with the swinging pivot 6 of the valve 5, and extending from the outlet of the inlet tube 2 up to a certain distance from the branch tubes 3, 4. The said arcuate wall sections are then connected to the inlets of the branching tubes 3,4 by means of substantially straight wall segments. The inside diameter of the arc-shaped wall segments X-Z, Y-W substantially corresponds to the radial length of flaps 205, 105 of valve 5, so that during rotation of valve 5, one flap of the valve 5 will come out of contact of the corresponding arcuate box wall segment substantially at the same moment in which the opposite flap will engage the respective arcuate wall segment.

The operation of the just-described valve is as follows: Assuming the suction to be applied to the branch tube 4, as indicated by arrow F4, valve 5 will be automatically moved to the angular end position in which its flap 205 clears the communication between the inlet tube 2 and the branch tube 4, while its opposite flap 105 closes the inlet to the second branch tube 3 (full lines position of FIG. 2). Consequently, the material from delivery tube 2 will be shifted into the branch tube 4 which is under suction.

In order to convey the material from the inlet tube 2 into the branch tube 3, it will be sufficient to stop the suction to the branch tube 4, and to apply the suction to the branch tube 3. By so doing, the valve 5 is automatically rotated in the direction of arrow Fl, until it comes to be in the position shown by dash lines in FIG. 2, in which the flap 105 clears the communication between the delivery tube 2 and the branch tube 3 (now under suction), while the opposite flap 205 intercepts the inlet to the other branch tube 4. Consequently, the material from tube 2 is blown into the branch tube 3.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the valve 5 clears the inlet of either of the branch tubes 3 and 4 only after having intercepted the inlet of the other branch tube 4 or 3, thus preventing any return flow of air or/and material from the branch tube not under suction.

In order to prevent that the material coming from the inlet tube 2 exerts an undue pressure against flap or 205 of valve 5, an elastic baffle 8 is mounted upstream of valve 5, inside tube 2.

In the embodiment, as shown, the said baffle 8 is in the form of a blade, secured by one end 9 to the side wall 102 of the inlet tube 2. The said baffle 8 is elastically flexible and may swing around its fastening point 9 from a rest position (full line position of FIG. 2) in which it is inclined with respect to the axis of the inlet tube 2, to a position in which it is substantially parallel to the axis of the said tube 2, (dotted line position of FIG. 2).

In this position of the baffle 8, the material coming from the inlet tube 2 is not deflected and continues straight ahead into the branch tube 3.

Having now described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A two-way penumatic valve for use in a pneumatic feed system comprising a box having opposite walls each with a segment arcuately shaped for a substantial angular distance,

an inlet at one end of said box and two outlets at the opposite end of said box from said inlet,

a switch valve pivotally mounted inside said box for movement between a first position opening one of outlets to said inlet and closing the second of said outlets, and a second position opening the second of said outlets to said inlet and closing the one of said outlets,

said switch valve comprising two integral flaps each cooperating to seal with asegment of a different one of said opposite walls adjacent thereto such that movement of said switch valve from one position to another causing the one of said flaps closing one of said outlets to move along the arcuate seg ment of the adjacent wall as the other of said flaps moves towards the other wall and to leave said segment substantially at the same moment the other of said flaps engages the arcuate segment of the wall adjacent thereto, and

abutment means inside said box limiting the pivotal movement of said switch valves between said first and second positions.

2. A two-way pneumatic valve according to claim 1 in which a partition wall is provided inside the box, said wall extending radially from the box sidewall between said branch outlets up to the rotatable valve pivot and providing said abutment means.

3. A two-way valve according to claim 1 and a feed duct connected to said inlet upstream of said valve, and

a baffle mounted in said duct.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent 3.860.031 Dat January 14, 1975 Inventor(s) Walter Grilli It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In the heading information following line "[21] Appl. No. 871,743", insert --[30] Foreign Priority Data Sept. 19, 1966 Italy 175/73--.

In the DESCRIPTION Column 1, line 36, make "of" read --for--, Column 21, line 30, make "Ostoip" read --sto p--,

Column 2, line 54, make "not" read --no--, and

Signed and sealed this 3rd day of June 1975.

(SEAL) Attest:

V C. MARSHALL DANN RUTH C. MASON Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer E and Trademarks 

1. A two-way penumatic valve for use in a pneumatic feed system comprising a box having opposite walls each with a segment arcuately shaped for a substantial angular distance, an inlet at one end of said box and two outlets at the opposite end of said box from said inlet, a switch valve pivotally mounted inside said box for movement between a first position opening one of outlets to said inlet and closing the second of said outlets, and a second position opening the second of said outlets to said inlet and closing the one of said outlets, said switch valve comprising two integral flaps each cooperating to seal with a segment of a different one of said opposite walls adjacent thereto such that movement of said switch valve from one position to another causing the one of said flaps closing one of said outlets to move along the arcuate segment of the adjacent wall as the other of said flaps moves towards the other wall and to leave said segment substantially at the same moment the other of said flaps engages the arcuate segment of the wall adjacent thereto, and abutment means inside said box limiting the pivotal movement of said switch valves between said first and second positions.
 2. A two-way pneumatic valve according to claim 1 in which a partition wall is provided inside the box, said wall extending radially from the box sidewall between said branch outlets up to the rotatable valve pivot and providing said abutment means.
 3. A two-way valve according to claim 1 and a feed duct connected to said inlet upstream of said valve, and a baffle mounted in said duct. 